His Excellency, Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes, President of the
Pontifical Council "Cor Unum" will arrive in El Salvador on 23
January 2001. The purpose of the trip is to express the comfort and
concern of the Holy Father to the victims of the earthquake which
recently struck that country.

Along with the Apostolic Nuncio to El Salvador, His Excellency
Archbishop Giacinto Berloco, Archbishop Cordes will meet with some
families impacted by the earthquake and in the afternoon of Wednesday,
24 January, will celebrate Mass in the Cathedral of San Salvador for the
victims of the earthquake. In meetings with the Archbishop of San
Salvador, His Excellency Archbishop Fernando Saenz Lacalle and other
members of the Episcopal Conference, he will deliver a gift of the Holy
Father amounting to US $100,000, a sign of the closeness of His Holiness
to this suffering population.

On the same day, Archbishop Cordes will visit the President of the
Republic, Mr. Francisco Flores, and the institutions responsible for
emergencies and for the cleanup and reconstruction of the impacted area.

A meeting is also planed with the representatives of various Catholic
organisations and agencies involved in assistance among which are found
various national Caritas organisations and "Manos Unidas"
along with other NGOs.